NOTES ON BRAZIL. 



259 



The channel was filled up by the accumulation of sand from the Sacco da 

 Gloria. In 1650, the Largo da Lapa was under water; in 1700, a stream 

 passed Eastward from Mata Cavallos to the harbour ; half a century later 

 the Campo da Santa Anna was marshy, and covered with Mangue ; in 

 1808, the limits of the morass had been greatly circumscribed, yet the 

 water continued so broad and deep, that I was surprised at the grounding 

 of a boat on the spot where the bridge of Mata Cavallos and some large 

 warehouses now stand. The desiccation, assisted by art, afterwards 

 proceeded more rapidly, and it is now proposed to carry a road from the 

 Palace of Boa Vista directly across the sand-banks and the islands, to the 

 point of Gambda. The water there is now three or four feet deep, and 

 furnishes a great quantity of shells, which are collected by people wading, 

 and reduced by burning to lime. 



Ponte Caju is a fine elevated tongue of land, separating the bay of 

 St. Christophe from that of Maricana. It enjoys a clean beach, pure 

 air, one of the best views of the harbour, especially of the roadstead, 

 where the vessels of war anchor, and the utmost facility for communica- 

 tion with them by signals. On this account it has been selected as a 

 place of residence for the British Admiral, Formerly this part of the 

 coast was an island, and there are still traces of the last narrow channel, 

 through which the water flowed from one bay to the other. Though 

 the agricultural improvement of the neighbouring estates has produced a 

 wish that the channel should be re-opened, the same process is going on, 

 and a few years will unite the island of Ferreiro with the main land, 

 and render the passage round the point still more difficult. 



The Bay of Maricana borrows the name of a river flowing into 

 its farther extremity, and both are indebted for their appellation to the 

 Indian Penates. It is two miles deep and one broad, surrounded with 

 low and swampy shores, is rapidly diminishing in size from the great 

 quantity of sand flowing into it, and is, altogether, one of the least 

 pleasing recesses of the singular harbour of Rio. The Mangue, taking 

 root from its drooping branches, and thickly covering its banks, is the 

 hiding place of various birds of the Succoo or Heron tribe, some of 



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